Sunday, December 26, 2010

DEWANI: Investigators lining up RAGHAVJEE family for questioning

Exclusive: Dewani murder EC link

11 December 2010
Bongani Fuzile

Investigations into the killing of honeymoon bride Anni Dewani have moved to the Eastern Cape where police are digging into a 2007 murder of a prominent doctor.

At the same time, it has emerged that the man sought by police as the fourth suspect in the Dewani murder hails from East London.

Monde Mbolombo was named in a plea statement by State witness Zola Tongo this week as being the one who allegedly arranged for a hitman to kill Dewani in Cape Town last month.Police refuse to say if Mbolombo has been arrested, although reports on Friday suggested he was in custody.

Bizarrely, Mbolombo’s last posting on his Facebook page, where he states his hometown as East London, was made on the same day Dewani was killed – November 13.

Written in Xhosa, he said:“Jengokuba undibilisela amanzi,awakho ayatsholoza.” Loosely translated into English, the posting reads as a warning – “While you are plotting against me, someone else is plotting against you.”

That’s the last posting from Mbolombo until December 4 when he pays tribute to victory by Kaizer Chiefs over Orlando Pirates in the Soweto derby.

Mbolombo was an employee at Protea Hotels Colosseum in Cape Town but left his job on November 30.

The hotel group said in a statement it was working with authorities.

“Protea Hotels is currently assisting the (police) with their inquiries and will not be making further comment given the highly sensitive legal nature of the case.”

In his plea statement in the Cape Town High Court, Tongo said he approached a “friend of mine” – Mbolombo – to help him find a hired gun.

“Monde put me in contact with Mziwamadoda Qwabe (one of the accused). This person is currently in custody awaiting trial in respect of his offences.

“I informed Monde that there would be R15 000 (fifteen thousand rand) for the job. Monde said that he wanted R5 000 (five thousand) for organising the hitman and that we should pay the hitman R10 000 (ten thousand rand).”

National police spokesperson, Brigadier Sally de Beer on Friday refused to comment when asked if Mbolombo was in custody.

“It would be unfair to comment about this case right now. I would also not like to comment about Mbolombo and what is being said in the UK,” she said.

Mail and Guardian reported Friday a suspect who acted as a “middleman” was preparing to turn State witness, suggesting at least that a fourth suspect had been arrested.

Police are, however, confirming renewed interest in the 2007 murder of King William’s Town doctor, Pox Raghavjee.

Rhagavjee was killed in his car near Bhisho stadium. His body was found with a bullet wound in the head.

Nobody has ever been arrested for the killing.

Last month the Dispatch reported that the family of Dewani’s husband Shrien – implicated by Tongo as the conspirator in his wife’s killing – knew the Raghavjees through mutual friend and King William’s Town businessman, Peter Dhaya.

Now the Dispatch can confirm that:

- Police bosses in Pretoria have ordered a fresh investigation into Raghavjee’s murder; and- Investigators are lining up family of Raghavjee for questioning;

Earlier this week, Ben Watson, a lawyer representing South African authorities in the extradition of Shrien Dewani from the UK, shocked a London court when he said police believed Shrien was involved in a previous murder in the country.

Watson was quoted as saying that it was a similar incident in which he arranged for someone to be killed in a faked hijacking.

It wasn’t clear where in the country the alleged incident took place.

King William’s Town police spokesperson Captain Thozama Solani on Friday confirmed to the Saturday Dispatch that Raghavjee’s case was being looked at afresh.

“We can confirm that the investigations are on again in the case of Dr Pox,” said Solani. An official closer to Raghavjee’s investigation also confirmed to the Dispatch that they had received instructions to revisit the case.

“The team is visiting the case again after recent media reports,” said the official.Attempts to get a comment from Raghavjee’s, widow, Heather, drew a blank as she is said to be out of the country.

Dinker Dhaya, a family friend, said Heather Raghavjee was currently overseas, without stating which country.

Family spokesperson, Peter Dhaya couldn’t be reached for comment either.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Mthunzi Mhaga also declined to comment, saying they were busy with the extradition of Shrien.

Tongo was jailed for 18 years this week for his part in the murder after cutting a deal with the State.

Qwabe and third accused Xolile Mngeni will appear in court next year in February.